The story take place at an oasis in the desert
The elephant that lives in this oasis is describes as a hermit. He lives alone and is beautiful.
Even though he was alone, he was happy.
He ate fruit from trees and drank water from a stream.
He loved to dance. If only he had someone to dance with.
The elephant was dancing one day when he heard the sound of men. The seemed unhappy.
These men where not in the oasis, but in the desert.
The elephant went go see them and he found them all "huddled together at death's door." I am not sure if this is literal or not. They are either almost dead or there is a literal death's door.
This was the first time the elephant experienced sadness. He cried.
The elephant asked the men if he could help them.
The men were oh so happy to see him that they fell on their knees. They even addressed him as "beautiful one."
These men where exiled from their home by their king.
They were wandering in the desert for days with no food and water.
The men said that they used to be a thousand strong, now there is only a few of them.
The elephant looked upon them. They were in desperate need of water and nutrients.
He told the men to run to the hill he was pointing to. There they were to find a large elephant that well provide them with food and point them to a stream of water.
Then the elephant booked it in the direction of the hill he pointed to. He went quickly but did not go the way he came.
The men were confused.
The elephant climbed to the top of the hill and jumped off the fell with a crash.
The men went to the landing spot of the elephant to find their new friend.
There they found him dead. He had sacrificed himself so that the men could eat him.
The debated among themselves whether they should eat him or not. They did not want to eat the elephant that was so good to them, but they also did not want to waste the sacrifice.
The men ate the meat with tears in their eyes.
The had no more troubles after that day.
Bibliography
The Great Elephant from Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat
Image Information: The Elephant's Sacrifice: Wikimedia Commons
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